So what does the SHARP motorcycle helmet test really mean?

It’s long been a subject of great debate among riders – and particularly helmet manufacturers – whether a £500 top-of-the-range race replica offers better protection in a crash than a £50 budget lid. The new Government SHARP helmet test set out to end this debate once and for all when it published its first batch of test results earlier this year.

• Check out the SHARP results below and buy online now

In an exclusive interview for MCN, a spokesman for the scheme explained the thinking behind it. He said: “SHARP aims to provide an independent assessment of how much protection a motorcycle helmet can offer in an impact and provide this objective advice to consumers to assist them with their purchase decisions.”

But the scheme has created even more controversy because it rated many cheap helmets above expensive ones. Naturally, those manufacturers whose lower-priced helmets came out of the tests favourably are delighted with the ratings and back the scheme all the way, while some of the most famous brands in the helmet market have criticised the SHARP tests for being misleading and methodologically flawed.

The people at SHARP, however, are convinced that their scheme, launched last November, can save up to 50 riders’ lives a year by helping them select a safer helmet.

Each helmet model is subjected to 22 different impacts on SHARP’s two specially-made test rigs. The tests are designed to replicate real-life accidents so the helmets are tested on flat and curved surfaces. The tests measure the level of acceleration, or G-force, the brain would experience during each impact rather than focusing on what damage is done to the helmets.

In other words, they measure how much of the energy from the impact is actually absorbed by the helmet and how much is left to be transferred through to the brain.

SHARP says: “Laboratory tests show there are real differences in the safety performance of motorcycle helmets.”

Can a £50 plastic helmet really offer as much, or better, protection as a £500 carbon fibre and Kevlar model? According to SHARP, they can, since a Lazer LZ6 which costs just £59.99 received a five-star rating while the Arai RX-7 Corsair – the most expensive helmet tested with prices up to £499.99 – only got three stars.

The SHARP team said: “Our research has shown that good impact safety performance was not restricted to premium price helmets (or those using particular materials or designs).”

Check out the list below to see the results for the first batch of helmets then why not click the ‘buy now’ button to see how much you could save in our Shopping section.

Make/Model	Style	SHARP rating (click for more)	Size	Buy online now
AGV Airtech	Full face		XS-XXL
AGV K Series	Full face		S-XL
AGV S-4	Full face		XXS-XXL
AGV Ti Tech	Full face		XXS-XXL
Airoh Leox	Full face		XS-XL
Airoh Speed Fire	Full face		XS-XL
Arai RX-7	Full face		XS-XXL
Arai Condor	Full face		XS-XXL
Arai GP5x	Full face		XS-XXL
Arai Viper GT	Full face		XS-XXL
Arai Astro	Full face		XS-XXL
Arashi Viper	Full face		S-XL
Bell M1	Full face		XS-XXL
Box BX4	Full face		XS-XXL
Box BX2	Full face		S-XL
Grex RF2	Full face		XS-XXL
Grex R1	Full face		XS-XXL
HJC HQ-1	Full face		XS-XL
HJC CS-12	Full face		XS-XXL
HJC FG-14	Full face		XS-XXL
HJC CL-ST	Full face		XS-XL
HJC FS-10	Full face		XS-XXL
HJC CS-12N	Full face		XS-XXL
HJC CS-R1	Full face		XS-XL
HJC FG-15	Full face		XS-XL
HJC IS-16	Full face		XS-XXL
KBC Force RR	Full face		XXS-XXL
KBC VR2R	Full face		XXS-XXL
KBC VR1-X	Full face		XXS-XXL
Lazer Fibre Pro	Full face		XS-XXL
Lazer LZ6	Full face		XS-XL
Lazer Tornado	Full face		XS-XL
Lazer Vertigo	Full face		XS-XXL
Lazer Fibre D1	Full face		XS-XL
Nitro N810VX	Full face		S-XL
Nitro N820VX	Full face		S-XL
Nitro N330VX	Full face		S-XL
Nitro N755VX	Full face		S-XL
Nitro N1430VX	Full face		S-XL
Nitro N1600 VN	Full face		S-XL
Nolan N62	Full face		XS-XXL
Nolan N84	Full face		XS-XXL
Premier Monza	Full face		XS-XXL
Roof RO10 Diversion	Full face		XS-XXL
Roof RO10 Daytona	Full face		XS-XXL
RST Racevent	Full face		XS-XXL
RST Cobra Vent	Full face		S-XL
Schuberth S1	Full face		XS-XXXL
Scorpion EXO-700	Full face		S-XL
Shark RSR2	Full face		XS-XL
Shark S500	Full face		XS-XXL
Shark RSF 2i	Full face		XS-XL
Shark RSI	Full face		XS-XL
Shark S800	Full face		XS-XL
Shoei Raid II	Full face		XS-XL
Shoei XR-1000	Full face		XS-XL
Shoei X-Spirit	Full face		XS-XL
Suomy Extreme	Full face		S-XL
Suomy Gunwind	Full face		S-XL
Suomy Spec 1R	Full face		S-XL
Takachi TK-30	Full face		S-XL
Urban N20	Full face		XS-XXL
Vemar VSREV	Full face		S-XL
Vemar TAI2K	Full face		S-XL
X-Lite X601	Full face		XS-XXL
X-Lite X602	Full face		S-XL
X-Lite X701	Full face		S-XL
X-Lite X801	Full face		S-XL